


A Leaf From Your Book

by rhyzukun



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!, ヒプノシスマイク | Hypnosis Mic (Albums)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, so much cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28371027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhyzukun/pseuds/rhyzukun
Summary: Hanamaru and Ruby go to a book signing in Shibuya, and provide an adorable and honest inspiration for Gentaro.
Kudos: 8





	A Leaf From Your Book

Hanamaru tried to hide her face with the book, her little fingers clutching at the hardback cover. The line seemed to be about the same length both behind and in front of her; she couldn’t back out now if she wanted to. The majority of the people in queue were older than both her and Ruby, which only fuelled her nerves more. It wasn’t even remotely the same as the nerves she felt before a live show. She and Ruby had travelled all the way from Uchiura to Shibuya for this event, and the anticipation she felt on the train journey had become butterflies in her stomach that wouldn’t settle down.

The book signing, in which she would meet one of her favourite authors, was practically a one-time event. He wasn’t someone that typically liked to surround himself with crowds of people so there was no guarantee when the next one would happen, if at all.

She gave herself a once-over, checking that she looked sufficiently presentable for the day. There were a few cookie crumbs on her cardigan that she’d missed on her other self-checks, “Uguu…” The remnants of a sweet treat (which Ruby had bought for her earlier in an attempt to perk her up) fell to the floor, and Hanamaru kept her eyes focused down for a moment.

“Hm?” Ruby picked up on this behaviour, “What’s wrong, Hanamaru?”

“Oh it’s nothing. I’m just working myself up again, zura…”

Ruby looked determined to cheer up her friend, “Hpmh! I can help that!” and she hugged Hanamaru from behind, gently squeezing her shoulders, “It’s alright, I understand, ehe. Do you remember when you told me I could become a school idol? I’m giving you the same encouragement now!” Ruby stepped back and held her arms in front of her face, preparing for her signature phrase, “Ganba…ruby! Come on, Hanamaru!”

“Ehh…” Hanamaru vaguely copied Ruby’s actions, and after a fake-mad huff from Ruby, she tried again but this time put some more oomph into her voice, “Ganbamaru!”

“Perfect, Hanamaru!” Ruby cupped her hands on Hanamaru’s cheeks, poking a little at the softness, “You can do anything, and I know this for sure! Even if it is scary at first. Like… you know how I couldn’t talk to a boy apart from my dad last year?”

Hanamaru nodded.

“Then Ai and Rina became friends with Jiro and Saburo, and now Dia and I are all friends with them! The three brothers can be pretty intimidating, but I got over it with the support of all my friends. And I’m here to support you now, Hanamaru. I know that you like Mr Gentaro’s writing a lot a-and I know how much you like reading, so it’s important that you do your best today!”

Ruby’s empowering speech made Hanamaru somewhat emotional, and she placed one hand over Ruby’s own, still on her cheeks, “Thank you, zura. Eheh, I really owe a lot to everyone, don’t I?”

“Hmm, I don’t think you owe anyone anything,” Ruby assured, “I’m looking out for you, and you’re looking out for me, because we’re friends!”

“Ruby… thank you!” Hanamaru gained some confidence from having her best friend by her side and she didn’t want to let that feeling go, “Can we link arms, zura?”

Ruby’s face lit up, “Of course!” and she linked one arm with Hanamaru, “Ehe!”

They bumped foreheads and giggled to each other. It let out some of the nervous tension they shared, but only a tiny amount. 

Of course they both loved trips like this, but neither of them could help but feel so out of place. The calm familiarity of their seaside town clashing so intensely with the bustling streets of Tokyo was something they could only handle for so long.

Travelling to a big city wasn’t relaxing for either of them. Despite it not even being their first visit to Tokyo they still took their time taking in all of the scenery while trying not to get lost. Tall buildings had towered over the small girls all through their day trip, with shiny and colourful stores grabbing their attention every which way. There were a few times that they’d almost run in the opposite directions from each other and gotten lost but their genius system of holding hands while outside seemed to do the trick. 

They’d both saved up months’ worth of pocket money just for the occasion with the intent of buying snacks and souvenirs to bring back to the Aqours club room, however Ruby was the one carrying it all. She had firmly stated when they arrived in Shibuya that she didn’t want Hanamaru’s book to get crumpled or stained in any way.

Once they found the bookstore itself, after weeks of waiting and waiting, everything seemed to fall into place. The dark wood furnishings reminded Hanamaru of the school library back in Uranohoshi, making her feel more at home than just being surrounded by books. There were shelves that touched the ceiling, and the thought of needing to use a ladder to explore all of the worlds contained within the books was unreal to little Hanamaru. But she didn’t cower amongst the crowd (it wasn’t really a crowd, but more than ten people in one tiny store was a lot to these country girls). It actually fuelled her excitement, as being around other people who shared the same passion as her own bolstered her confidence tenfold. She wished for this experience to happen again.

Even Ruby was in high spirits, despite not being a bookworm like Hanamaru, “Hey, do you think I could find a book on fashion here? I think taking a Shibuya approach to Aqours’ next costumes would be really fun!”

“Oh definitely, zura! There are a lot of stylish people here. But I don’t really know anything like that… maybe we could take a look around after this.” Hanamaru checked her watch; it was only early afternoon, to her relief.

“You think so?” Ruby wandered her attention around the shelves of books that looked to be never-ending, “You’re probably right. It would be nice to have some guidance. Like how Kotori studies fashion?”

“Mm! μ's always has super cute outfits, zura! Kotori makes things I would never have been able to think of in a million years!”

“Exactly, Hanamaru! If only I could find someone nice to teach me… but I don’t think Dia would want me to get too distracted from school,” Ruby said with a pout, knowing that Dia was only looking out for her. There was only so much one girl could do in a day without overworking herself.

She was deep in thought about studies and fabrics when all of a sudden – “Pigyaah!” 

A lady had tapped Ruby on the shoulder to point out that they were next in line, “O-oh gosh… thank you!” She turned to Hanamaru and nudged her forward, “Go on, Hanamaru!”

“Y-yes… Oh no…” Hanamaru scrunched up her face for a second then released all the tension with an exhale (a technique Mari had taught her to help combat nerves) before stepping up to the table, still clutching the book to her chest. 

Gentaro had just finished seeing off the person before them and now his attention was focused on the two girls now approaching him. In an effort to make them feel welcome, he took a slightly casual tone to his voice and posture, “Hello.” 

Months of waiting had led to now. He wasn’t just a small photo in the front insert of a novel anymore, he was a person that was right in front of her. The thought made her a little nauseous even though she (of course) knew that he was always a real person. It was just strange for her, in a way that she couldn’t describe.

_Maybe he could describe it, zura._

All kinds of possible introductions were buzzing around Hanamaru’s mind with no idea which was the right one to catch. She worried her lower lip with her teeth and was shuffling on the spot.

“Good afternoon to you two young ladies, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” 

She was more than thankful when he started the conversation.

There was a part of Hanamaru that was jealous of how flawlessly Gentaro carried himself, and always in such a dignified manner; she’d watched him compete in the Division Rap Battle final and admired how he could be so calm in such a stressful situation. She could barely imagine herself in that scene from the comfort of her own home without her heart pounding.

And now she was standing in front of him almost closing in on herself. 

Hanamaru gulped before speaking, letting the warmth of Ruby’s linked arm give her the strength to talk, “A-ah, it’s nice to m-meet you! I-I really like your novels, Yumeno-sensei, especially the one about the prince and the scientist and the thief!” Golden eyes suddenly sparkled with thoughts of fantasy worlds and extraordinary adventures despite her nervous disposition, “It’s amazing, zura! Oop!” She covered her mouth when her verbal tic slipped.

“There is no need to cover your mouth; do not be ashamed of such a habit,” Gentaro’s gentle voice calmed the two girls somewhat, and once he saw that Hanamaru was no longer as tense, he continued, “Perhaps I shall include a character in my next work to have a trait like that?” He tapped his chin in thought, “And she shall have a most loyal friend, I think…”

“Pigyaah!!! For real?!” Ruby held on to Hanamaru with both arms.

“Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

“Zu-zura?!” Hanamaru blinked a few times in disbelief. “I’ve never been in a novel before, zura. There isn’t a Hanamaru in any of your novels, and I’ve read them all!”

Even someone as straight-faced as Gentaro wasn’t unaffected by the endearing cuteness in front of him. 

_How very cute._

“You’ve been paying attention to them, I see.” Gentaro watched her surprised reaction with an proud smile on his face, adoring how wholesome Hanamaru was, “Thank you for reading my novels, Miss Kunikida,” He lifted one hand up to take the book from her (which she shakily handed to him), “It’s a true blessing to know that a sweet angel like you is a fan of mine. Thy aura is glowing most immensely, like a ring of light illuminating thou from behind… that includes you, Miss Kurosawa,” As if he’d said nothing out of the ordinary, Gentaro opened the book and signed the inside, under the author’s photo.

Meanwhile, the two girls stood there in shock as they processed him calling them by name.

“Uwawawawa…” Ruby held onto Hanamaru tighter, slightly hiding behind her too, “Hanamaru…”

“Zura…!”

“Oh dear, I see I have frightened you,” There was a hint of worry in Gentaro’s voice as he put his pen down and rested his chin on one hand, “T’would be wrong of me to keep you in the dark. Ramuda, you have heard of him, no? Yes? Wonderful. He is a sincere fan of Aqours, you see, and upon second-hand exposure to your videos available online I have become familiar with all nine of your personalities. Hm. Perhaps ten if I were to include Miss Yohane…” Gentaro chuckled a little as the blue-haired and purple-eyed fallen angel’s alter ego and her antics had reminded him of the sporadic nature of a certain blue-haired and purple-eyed gambler. 

His chuckle turned into a hum when he remembered one recent night when Ramuda had gathered them to watch his copy of Aqours 4th live show, distinctly recalling Dice saying: ‘Man, I hope those girls are alright. The idol industry can be pretty shitty right? They got school to do on top of rehearsin’ and stuff. Looks fun though.’

And Gentaro added: ‘Oya? I wouldn’t have thought this would pique your interest, Dice. Yet your concern is far from unwarranted, the entertainment industry is riddled with the wrong kind of folk.’

Both to which Ramuda responded: ‘I think they’re as right as rain, tee-hee! Gentaro, Dice, it’s so cute that you wanna care for them~ Aha! We could be Aqours’ very own bodyguards, taking down anyone who tries to hurt them! Ka-pow!’

That night they had collectively decided that anyone who tried to hurt any member of Aqours (and any of their fellow idols) would be on the receiving end of Fling Posse’s attack.

He was curious about how they were actually treated by various live show staff and other such people, but this wasn’t the right time or place to ask about things that could ruin the mood, so Gentaro settled for encouragement, “I must say that there is indeed something special about your presence on stage. Taking a leaf out of your book, fufu, would be a wise idea.”

“A… a leaf, zura? Like a maple leaf?” 

Gentaro stifled a laugh with his sleeve as his words went over her head, “A figurative leaf, Miss Kunikida.”

“Oh,” Hanamaru fiddled with her cardigan hem as she tried to awkwardly brush off missing an obvious metaphor. She was a lot more nervous than she thought.

“Do not fret,” He closed the book as he continued to speak, noting how the book was simultaneously kept in great condition yet also showing signs of many read-throughs, “For thy aura is most welcoming, Miss Kunikida. _Oyasuminasan_ is a delightful song, filled to the brim with the genuine emotions of an honest girl. Say, where did you find the inspiration for those lyrics?”

“Um. I just wrote them from my heart, zura. I don’t know anything much else. Oh! Riko helped me shuffle some parts around to fit it into a song! Working with everyone in Aqours is so fun, and I learn new things all the time!”

_From her heart, she said. If it’s that easy, I really will have to take a leaf out of her book._

“…Yes, Miss Sakurauchi is a very skilled musician indeed. I can only imagine how packed with talent your club must be, with so many bright characters running around. Yet it doesn’t seem that anyone is containing you any time soon.”

Hanamaru hopped on her toes, thinking of the future endeavours that were awaiting her, “Aqours will show everyone in world that power of school idols, zura! A-at least that’s what Chika says,” she trailed off and came to a stand-still, glancing at a beaming Ruby face.

“She’s right!” Ruby nuzzled against Hanamaru, “And we get ideas from seeing the weirdest things! Like the sounds of the sea, or a funny animal, or the sky, or…” 

Suddenly aware the attention of both Hanamaru and Gentaro on her, Ruby tried to deflect the spotlight onto someone else, “W-where do you get inspired, Mr Gentaro?”

Gentaro was more than happy to be the focus once more, as he didn’t want either of the girls to feel uncomfortable in his presence, “Hm, what a peculiar question. One that would take some time to answer in full, so I shall give you a concise reply. Are you listening?”

“Yes!”

“Zura!”

Ruby and Hanamaru had 100% of their focus on him.

“Everywhere and everyone. For one to be a proficient creator you should refine your ability to pick out the parts of life you like the most, and create something wonderful from it. Even the wildest of fantasies are somewhat grounded in reality.”

“Ooh…”

“I see…”

“If you are inquiring about a specific place in which I write, the café conjoined to this bookstore is a personal favourite of mine, you may find yourself quite inspired there. Quite often I find myself gazing out of the window at passers-by and conjure up fantastical lives for them. It is a great deal more enjoyable than it would seem at first. And perhaps…” 

In his thoughts, Gentaro entertained the idea of meeting them afterward for a longer conversation, as he was interested in their own creative process, but the rational side of him knew that an adult man asking to meet two teenage girls he just met wouldn’t be a good idea. They were rattled enough. 

He peered around the girls to look at the line behind them, “…and I mustn’t keep the others waiting. While I would love to converse with you two more, I have to bid you adieu,” Gentaro lightly bowed his head as he gave the book back to a very shaken Hanamaru, “Please give my salutations to the other members, if you would be so kind. One might have to pay a visit to Uchiura sometime, a beautiful seaside town is sure to spark a fantastic idea for a future novel.”

“Yes!” Ruby interrupted, “There are so many fun activities! Like at Kanan’s diving shop you can see under the sea, and the sealife aquarium on Awashima Island has so many creatures, and the scenery all over Uchiura is so pretty! It’s like the opposite of here!”

Hanamaru was in sync with Ruby’s train of thought, “Zura! We practice on the beach sometimes too! There’s free space for ages and it’s so tiring but so fun, ehehe!”

“Hanamaru, tell him about the food!” Ruby patted Hanamaru’s shoulder to prompt her to speak.

“Mm! There’s always fresh seafood to be eaten, zura! You can find it almost anywhere! Oh, and that café bakery place that Mari takes us to sometimes, the one with the fluffy matcha cake that Dia likes!” She put more pep in her voice in an attempt to make her hometown seem appealing to ‘Yumeno-sensei’.

His eyebrows raised at the mention of a café, “Matcha cake? Well then,” He clapped his hands together, “I would be delighted to have you all as our Uchiura tour guides.”

“Eh?! Our?!” The girls exclaimed in unison.

With a playful smile he made a query, “It wouldn’t be too much of a bother if Ramuda and Dice tagged along too? If they kick up a fuss I can always send them on their merry way back to Shibuya.”

Ruby’s pigtails bounced as she anxiously shook her head, “Don’t kick them out, Mr Gentaro! That’s mean!”

“That was but a lie, Miss Kurosawa.”

Ruby’s face turned as red as her hair, “Ah.”

“Fufu, worry not,” Gentaro sighed to himself, “Unfortunately now it is that time that I have to bid you farewell. Take care of yourselves, Miss Kurosawa, Miss Kunikida,” He bowed his head at each girl respectively, “Until next time. And do not forget, the great art you create is composed of yourself just as much as it is of the subject matter. Goodbye!” He waved them off with a warm smile.

“Goodbye Yumeno-sensei, zura!” Hanamaru nervously fumbled with her bag as she put the book back, noting to herself to take extra good care of it on the way home.

“Bye bye!” Ruby waved to Gentaro, then led herself and her best friend out of the bookstore.

Once they were back into the city streets, Ruby re-linked their arms, feeling just as excited as she was prior to entering the store, “Aren’t you happy we came out here? That was so fun! Mr Gentaro is so nice, he called me Miss Kurosawa, did you hear that?”

Hanamaru clasped her hands together as more energy bubbled up in her, “I did, zura! I’m feeling so much more energized now, I think I could run all the way back to Uchiura! Should we walk around for a bit longer?”

“Of course! I can feel the energy too. But…” Ruby stroked her chin in thought, “What do you think he meant when we walked out? About us being part of our art?”

“Hm… I think he meant that when we put our love and care into something, it’ll be really good!” Hanamaru placed one hand over her heart as she felt the quote resonate within her, making a mental note to write it down in her journal later.

“You think so?”

“Mm!” Then Hanamaru was once again quickly distracted by the city streets, “Oh, zura! Look at that cute accessory store, let’s look in there, Ruby!” Reflecting on the things she’d learned today were shelved for later.

“Uwaa, yes! Let’s go!”

With a spring in their step, the two girls set off hand-in-hand to the next leg of their Shibuya adventure.

The world looked brighter the next day, as Gentaro sipped his morning coffee (which tasted sweeter than yesterday’s) and peered out of his window with his head resting on the wall. Yet nothing outside had changed. Clusters of people were wandering around, none more spectacular than the rest and no-one catching his eye for more than a second. 

Everything out there was most definitely the same.

_Perhaps the change is within myself._

_For years I’ve only known the joy in writing alone and creating worlds in the solitary confines of my mind._

He ran his fingers through his hair, collecting his thoughts. 

_Now I know that that just isn’t good enough anymore._

He then tapped on the table.

_Ramuda and Dice taught me about friendship and what it means to be part of something. And I wouldn’t trade them for the world, no, the universe._

_And maybe Hanamaru and Ruby have taught me… about taking part in the many fun wonders of the world outside of this city._

_I wonder what the sounds of the ocean are like._

_Do they really make for good inspiration?_

_Though I would have to wear a wetsuit…_

_That’s a worry for another day. For now, I have the need to write._

Of course he knew it from the moment he met them. The spark of innocent youth had inspired him. He had met many people that day, but they stood out to him the most, and he found himself, in simple terms, concerned for them while wishing them the best.

Expressing this through plain and honest means wasn’t feasible to him, so he did it in the way he knew how. He took a large gulp his coffee and flicked open a fresh notebook to start writing on an empty page.

_‘There was once a young girl who bloomed like a flower, and her loyal friend who shone like a gemstone…’_

And his gratitude, once published, wouldn’t go unnoticed.


End file.
